thornton



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOS. F. THORNTON, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO PRINCE & STEPHENSON.

SWELI.- FOR MELODEONS, &C.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 12,938, dated May 22, 1855; Ressued July 2, 1867,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS FOSTER THORNTON, of the city of Buffalo, county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Melodeons, of which the following description, illustrated by the accompanying drawings and references, is suiciently clear and comprehensive to enable others of competent skill to make and use my invention.

The nature of my invention consists in dividing the swell or valve (which is used for increasing or diminishing the tone of the instrument) at or near the center, so that one part may be opened separately by means of the lever or otherwise, as described in the accompanying specification, and at the same time the two parts to be so connected that the whole swell may be raised when required by the usual manner when the swell is so divided and arranged. With the ordinary swell, there can be but one change of tone produced, viZ.-when it is closed the tone is low or soft, and when open, loud.

By my improvement I have attained the desirable result of producing a loud tone in the upper half of the instrument for playing solos, and at the same time a subdued tone in the other half for accompanying the same.

Figure l is a perspective view of the melodeon. Figs. 2, 3 and 4, are sections of the melodeon, being in part the tube board with swell and accompanying parts.

Fig. 2 represents the swell when closed. A, a is the tube or sounding board; B, the swell hinge; C, the swell; F, the springs for keeping the swell closed when not acted upon by the foot pedal J with the accompanying levers 7L, 7L, and lever E; L, L, levers connecting the rod g and swell C, 0,' g, rod attached to pedal J and acting on levers 7L, h; J, the pedal.

Fig. 3, represents the swell when open; C, the swell; D, apertures or tubes in which the reeds are placed.

Fig. 4 represents the swell when divided, being part open and part closed.

E is a lever in nearly a right angular form and is fastened by the screw s to the end of the tube board A, a. The lower end of this lever is adjusted under the end of the swell O and the upper end projects ,suiiciently above the tube board to be within reach of and drawn back by the hand of the performer, in which position it is held by a catch.

The swell C, c is a thin strip of wood slightly beveled on one side. The thick edge is fastened back of the tube board just above the apertures for the reeds by a strip of cloth or leather which acts as a hinge for raising the swell. This swell is divided at or near the center, the lever E acting only upon the half O.

The levers 71., 7L, are straight pieces of wood. The short one is fastened to the nside of case at the end by means of a screw passing through the middle into the end board of the case, as represented by the o. One end of this lever is adjusted under the opposite end of the swell from the lever E, for the purpose of raising the whole swell. The long lever 7L `forms the connection between the pedal rod g, and short lever h, and is adjusted by the same means as the latter to the back part of the case and on a line with it.

g is a small round rod, each end being tapered to lit into sockets at the end of the long lever h and pedal J. The pedal J is of cast iron and is hung to the cross bar which spans from one leg of the instrument to the other. On pressing this pedal with the foot it acts upon the levers h, h, and raises the whole swell.

The flange k is merely a small piece of wood or metal firmly fastened to the under side of the half swell c and projecting sufficiently under the half swell O to raise the same by the action of the pedal J, the rod g and levers L, L, when pedal J is pressed by the foot, consequently the two half swells O and c are raised simultaneously when desired.

I do not claim the whole swell when acted upon by the foot pedal J the rod g and levers h, 7L, when the swell is not divided, as I am aware that it is now so constructed and used, but

What I claim to be my invention and desemphines, and reed organs, all of Which are sire to secure y Letters Patent, is- Very similar in construction.

The divide swell, constructed substantially as set forth, so that one half (or part) THOMAS FOSTER THORNTON' 5 may be used separately when desired for Vitnesses:

producing more Variety in the tone of reed CHARLES E. BACON, instruments, such as melodeons, melo-pianos, HIRAM VOODBURY.

[FIRST PRINTED 1912.] 

